Camping implement



Feb. 22, 1938. H. RINGER CAMPING IMPLEMENT Filed Jan. 23, 1937 ATTORNEY v Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE lclaim.

This invention relates to an implement having as companion separable parts a knife and a'fork, the said implement, although being available for other purposes, being characterized by features which adapt it particularly for use in connection with camping, shing, hunting and other l allied outdoor sports.

One object of the invention is an implement of the kind generally described in which, as a. measure of safety, provision is made for shielding the blade of the knife and the tines of the fork when the said parts are not in use.

A further object is to provide an implement in which the parts are so formed that when fitted together they will remain in such relation until separated for further use.

A still further object is to provide for facility in cleaning the parts of the implement.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of an implement embodying the features of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the parts of the implement in separated relation.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the implement and is taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken'along line li-d of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a similar'section taken along line 5 5 of Figure 3. v

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing in separated relation the sections of the handle of the fork.

The instrument, as illustrated, consists of a knife and a fork 8 (Figure 2), the handle and blade of the former being indicated at Ill and II, respectively, while the handle and tines of the latter are indicated at I2 and I3, respectively.

In accordance with the invention the handle of the knife is formed with a longitudinally extending chamber III (Figure 3), the shank I5 of the blade II being arranged in the said chamber and being suitably secured to a side wall thereof by rivets I8. The chamber It is also adapted to accommodate the tines I3 of the fork when the latter is not in use. To this end the said chamber is of a. 'height substantially greater than the thickness of the shank I5 of the knife, it being noted that the shank I5 of the tines i3 of the fork are arranged in the chamber It in side-by-side relation. Preferably the chamber I4 is of a depth which will enable the tines I8 to be completely sheathed by the handle Ill as shown.

blade II and the and are formed so as to 'Ihe handle I2 of the fork is formed with a lor gitudinally extending chamber I 1 (Figure 3), the shank I8 of the fork being arranged in the said chamber and being suitably secured to a side wall thereof by rivets I9. The chamber I1 is also adapted to accommodate the blade Il of the knife when the latter is not in use. To this end the said chamber is of a height substantially greater than the thickness of the shank I8 of the fork, it being noted that the shank I8 of the fork and the blade II of the knife are arranged in the chamber the chamber I1 is the blade II to be handle I2 as shown.

When the knife and fork are fitted together, they are first adjusted so that the shank I5 of the knife is arranged at the bottom of the chamber It while the shank I8 of the fork is arranged of a depth which will enable completely sheathed by the at the top of the chamber I'I, or vice versa. When the parts are arranged in this manner or in any lsimilar opposed relation, the tines of the fork will 'enter the chamber I4 as the blade of the knife enters the chamber I'I. Thus the handle of the knife provides a scabbard for the tines of the fork while the handle of the fork provides a scabbard for the blade of the knife. The implement may, therefore, be carried in safety.

The parts are preferably so formed that as they are tted together in the manner described, the adjacent ends of the handles I 0 and I2 will abut one another as best shown in Figure 1 to provide a compact unit. In order to insure that the said parts will remain in such relation until required for further use the curvature ofthe tines I3 and the associated portion of the shank I8 is predetermined so that as the parts are fitted together, the tines I3 of the fork will first engage the shank I5 of the knife and thereafter engage a wall of the chamber I as they move beyond the end of the 'said shank. It is understood, of course, that if desired the shank I5 may be extended the full length of the chamber I4 so that the tines of the fork will engage it when the adjacent ends of the handles I0 and I2 abut one another. The frlctlonal engagement thus provided between the tines I3 and the adjacent portion of the knife serves to secure the knife and fork together and to hold them against accidental separation;

Preferably the handles Ill and I2 are similar the chambers I4 and their cleaning. Each cludes a main section Il and thereby facilitate handle, `as illustrated, in-v 20 to which the shank of I 'I in side-by-slde relation. Preferably` provide ready access to.

the knife or fork, as the case may be, is secured and an'auxiliary section 2l, the said sections dening the chambers I4 and l1. The main and auxiliary sections are held together by bands 22 and 23, the former being permanently secured by a rivet I9 to the main section while the latter is permanently securedby a rivet 25 to the auxiliary section. The outer end ofi` the main section is formed with a neck 2,6 which fits under the band 23 while the inner end of the auxiliary section is formed with a neck 21 which ts under the band 22. The main and auxiliary sections are held against relative lengthwise movement by projections 28 and 28a, the former being formed in the band 23 and co-operatingwith a depression formed in the neck 26 of the main section while the latter is formed in the band 22 and co-operates with a depression formed in the neck 21 of the auxiliary section. The auxiliary section may be detached from the main section to provide access to the chamber I4 or I1, as the case may be, by moving it lengthwise relatively to the main section until the band 23 slips of! the neck 26 of the main section and the neck 2l is moved out from under the band 22.

In order to facilitate the detachment of the auxiliary sections in the manner described the outer wall of each of the main sections is cut away in the vicinity of the band 23 to provide a shoulder 30 (Figures 2 and 3), the said shoulders being spaced from the inner edges of the bands 23 to define slots 3| and 3Ia. 'Ihe slot 3| is formed in the handle of the fork and is of a width which will accommodate the thick edge of the blade of the knife while the `slot Sla is formed in the handle o! the knife and is of a width which will accommodate the shank I1 o! the fork.-

fork handle may be moved lengthwise to such an extent as to free it from the main section. The sections of the knife handle' may be separated in a similar manner, it being understood that in this case the shank I 8 o! the fork is inserted in the slot 3Ia and is utilized as the lever for separating the main and auxiliary sections in the manner described. In the embodiment illustrated, the main and auxiliary sections are formed of a brous material. In such a case. and in any case in which the material from which the handle sections are formed is relatively soft, it is pre-l ferred that the shoulders 30 be provided by metal elements 32, the said elements being suitably secured to the handle sections.

I claim as my invention:

An implement for the purpose described including as companion separable parts, a knife and a fork, each having a handle formed with a chamber, whereby as said parts are assembled the tines of said fork enter the chamber in the handle of said knife while the blade of said knife enters the chamber in the handle of said fork, at least one of the said handles having a section which may be removed to provide access to the chamber in said handle.

HENRY RINGER. 

